The World is Flipped!

This is in response to a conversation I had with Kwame Sarfo-Mensah this week. The idea needs more development, but I wanted to get it down in writing and out into the edusphere while it's fresh in my mind. I had fun with this, but it's a serious proposal. We'll be vetting it for Roadmap 2030. Thank you, Kwame! -Walter

The beginning of this century Tom Friedman pronounced “The World is Flat!” extolling the virtues of technologically-driven globalization and its inherent opportunities and drawbacks. Flattened like a pancake. Yup. And it created quite the buzz, especially in education circles where we prepare children for their future.

So in this era of intense disruption, it is with great aplomb and alarm that I am disturbed to announce, the world has flipped! Out of its mind! YES! Get out your spatulas!

What does this mean? Welp…I’m not sure where the whole pancake analogy is headed…so....let’s talk in more pragmatic terms.

The rules and roles of the past are giving way to a completely new, non-standard, no-holds-barred flip on the future. Everything we assumed to be true ten years ago? Forget all that. None if it applies as norms get upended and institutions get dismantled. Everything we thought we knew about public education is being challenged, and the regulation and funding we've known for generations is no more. Embrace it or deny it, it's happened. Already.

So what is the way forward in this era of Apocalypse Now - Ed Edition? What can we depend on that is beyond the reach of money, power and influence? Who can we count on that will tell it like it is no matter who’s in the room or what's at stake?  Talk amongst yourselves. I’ll give you a second…

[practicing wait time…checking the clock…scrolling through my newsfeed…]

Okay. Anyone? ANYONE?

It’s right in front of us…

You knowwwwwwwwww…

Children!

Yes, kids! The unfiltered truth-tellers who have the most skin in the game!

Want to know what’s important in public ed? Ask kids!

Want to vet an idea to see if it’s a good one? Ask kids!

Want to cut through all the pretense, fear and hypocrisy? TALK TO KIDS!

Think of it…the greatest stakeholders in the realm of public education empowered to help lead the way forward!

No functioning federal oversight? NO PROBLEM! Queue the kids! Literally bring them together, representatives from each school, and have them inform the way forward. Locally, state level and nationally…an assembly of students driving the narrative on the future of public education!

Need on-the-ground input? Bring in the kids!

Got an idea to test? Empower the kids!

Need a non-political decision? Pass the mic to the kids!

See? FLIPPED! Children lead the way to the future, unvarnished and uninfluenced by anything other than what’s best for the greater good!

No checking their bank account to decide what's best.

No special interests or competing agendas.

Just fair, open, honest discussion.

What’s our role as educators? Guides and coaches! Support them in how to advocate for themselves and what is best for their community. Provide them safe spaces to learn how to lead…how to innovate…how to build buy-in and consensus…how to get things done!

FLIPPED!

What do you think? Let’s talk about it over breakfast. No need to make decisions on an empty stomach! I’ll get the pancakes; you get the butter and syrup.

See how easy it is to cut through all the contrivances and complications and get to what’s important?

All we need to do is be child advocates and the world suddenly gets flipped right-side UP! You can have your pancakes and eat ‘em, TOO!

Hard to visualize? Need to stand on your head to get perspective? Just resist the urge to make it a flat-earth conspiracy thing. It's pancakes! And nobody's disrupting pancakes. Somebody tell Tom Friedman...

It’s totally doable.

Let kids lead.

Get out of their way.

Set a new course with fresh eyes!

Any questions?

I have one.

Please pass the syrup?!

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